How a Regular Intuitive Painting Practice Changed My Life

For years, I felt like I was living a double life. On one hand, I was deeply invested in spiritual growth — meditation, manifestation, connecting with guides and spirit.  For years I have devoured books, podcasts, and endless searches on these subjects and tried to apply all this wisdom to my life. Sometimes it worked, and I felt totally aligned and inspired. For a minute.

But then real life would hit. I'd pick up my kids from school, and they'd do something annoying. Boom—my nervous system would go haywire, and I'd find myself yelling at them. Or I'd get into an argument with my spouse and couldn't access any of that spiritual stuff I believed in so deeply. It was like I had two separate lives: the wannabe high-vibe spiritual being and the stressed-out, reactive human.

On the surface, everything seemed fine. I had a great life—wonderful kids, good health, a nice job, a comfortable home in a safe neighborhood. Yet, I lived with a persistent feeling of dissatisfaction and frustration. No matter what I did, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.

Though I hadn't painted regularly in years, I remembered how painting used to center me and decided to start painting again, this time as a spiritual practice. I knew I had to make it super easy if I was going to stick with it. So I picked up some watercolors (cheap and easy to clean up), set up a little spot where I could leave everything out, and committed to painting for just 15 minutes every day. No matter what.

Those first two weeks were tough. Some days, I had to drag myself to the table. My inner critic was loud and persistent, but I stuck with it. To shut up my inner critic, I decided to just paint orbs—simple circles symbolizing unity, connection, and wholeness. This freed me from worrying about making things look "right" and let me just get into the flow-state. Soon those 15 minutes often turned into 30, 45, or even an hour as I got lost in the process.

As the weeks went by, I started noticing some profound changes. That calm, meditative state I'd get into while painting began spilling over into other parts of my life. I noticed that I generally felt calmer and less reactive when my kids acted up, or when life threw curveballs at me. When something did trigger me, I could more easily take a step back and see the bigger picture.

But the most surprising development was the influx of insights and clarity I began receiving. I started setting intentions before each painting session, focusing on whatever was troubling me. Often, after finishing a painting and going about my day, I'd receive flashes of insight that either answered my questions or helped me see the issue in a new light. Sometimes, the act of painting itself seemed to process and release the energy around a problem, leaving me with a sense of peace and ease around whatever I was struggling with.

Now, intuitive art has become an integral tool in my life. While I don't paint every single day anymore, I turn to it whenever I'm struggling, feeling reactive, or need clarity on an issue. It's become my portal to spiritual connection, a way to bridge that gap between my spiritual aspirations and my human reality.

Looking back, I'm amazed at how different I am now compared to when I started this journey. That feeling of living a double life has dissipated. Through the simple act of showing up to paint every day, I found a way to integrate my spiritual self with my human experience. The magic that happens in that creative flow state—the connection to soul, to spirit, to divine energy and just the relaxation of it—has shifted my awareness and changed how I approach life. 

This journey has taught me that sometimes, the simplest acts can lead to the most profound transformations. By committing to just 15 minutes a day, I rediscovered not just my love for art, but a deeper, more integrated way of living.